In a striking critique on Wednesday, Republican Senator Ron Johnson denounced President Donald Trump’s comprehensive tax-and-spending-cut proposal, labeling it “immoral” and “grotesque.” Johnson made it clear that he is prepared to vote against the legislation unless significant amendments are made by his GOP colleagues.
“This is immoral, what us old farts are doing to our young people,” Johnson asserted during an appearance on Finance Newso’s “Squawk Box,” expressing deep concerns regarding the bill’s potential to escalate the national deficit by trillions of dollars.
“This is grotesque, what we’re doing,” he added. “We need to own up to that. This is our moment.”
Johnson declared his refusal to endorse the current bill, stating, “I can’t accept the scenario, I can’t accept it, so I won’t vote for it, unless we are serious about fixing it.” His comments highlight his position as one of the most vocal GOP dissenters regarding the budget bill, which recently passed with a narrow margin in the House.
Concern over its implications for the national debt remains a significant focus for Johnson and fellow fiscal conservatives. A recent analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected that the bill would increase the national debt by an alarming $2.4 trillion over the next decade.
Johnson has suggested dividing the legislation into two separate components, a strategy that stands in contrast to President Trump’s preference for a unified package.
“The president and Senate leadership need to recognize that we’re serious now,” Johnson remarked, highlighting the plight of the few dissenting GOP senators whose opposition could jeopardize the bill’s passage.
“They all say, ‘Oh, we can pressure these guys.’ No, you can’t,” he stressed, underscoring the tight dynamics within the Senate, where Republicans hold a slim 53-47 majority, allowing little room for defections.
“Let’s talk about the numbers, and let’s prioritize the well-being of our children and grandchildren, whose futures are being risked by our actions,” Johnson continued, redirecting the focus to long-term consequences.
His remarks followed similar sentiments expressed by tech magnate Elon Musk, who condemned the spending bill as a “disgusting abomination” that could result in significant deficits. The White House has downplayed Musk’s critiques.
Johnson asserted that Musk’s commentary reinforces the argument against the bill, citing Musk’s expertise as someone who has demonstrated effective fiscal strategies to Trump in the past.
“He’s in the inside; he showed… President Trump how to do this, you know, contract by contract, line by line,” Johnson stated. “We have to do that.”
Despite the uphill battle, Johnson expressed confidence in his campaign against the bill, suggesting that a sufficient number of Republican senators might be inclined to oppose it in its current form.
“We want to see [Trump] succeed, but my loyalty ultimately lies with our kids and grandkids,” he emphasized. “There are enough of us with that mindset that we must respectfully say, ‘Mr. President, I’m sorry, but the ‘one, big, beautiful bill’ was not the best idea,” he concluded.
